Separation of poultry shanks from drumsticks



June 6, 1967 J. A. BoNUcHl ETAL 3,323,154

SEPARATION OF POULTRY SHANKS FROM DRUMSTICKS original Filed July 27,1964 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVE TORS. L 'Mga/0%); BY ,1?@40/7 51 gew/w? June6, 1967 J. A. BONUCH: ETAL 3,323,154

SEPARATION OF POULTRY SHANKS FROM DRUMSTICKS Original Filed July 27,1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l Aem;

J. A. BoNucr-u ETAL 3,32364 SEPARATION OF POULTRY SHANKS FROM DRUMSTICKS4 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 6, 1967 Original Filed July 27, 1964 "IIIIHM June6, 1967 J. A. BONUCHI ETAL. 3,323,164

SEPARATION OF POULTRY SHANKS FROM DRUMSTICKS Original Filed July 27,1964 4 Sheets-Sheet fi ArroRNEL// United States Patent O 3,323,164SEPARATION F POULTRY SHANKS FROM DRUMSTICKS .Iames A. Bonuchi, Merriam,Kans., and Jack L. Hathorn, Independence, and Ralph S. Zebarth, KansasCity, Mo., assignors to Gordon Johnson Company, Kansas City, Mo., acorporation of Missouri Original application July 27, 1964, Ser. No.385,339, now Patent No. 3,281,890, dated Nov. 1, 1966. Divided and thisapplication July 11, 1966, Ser. No. 574,524

16 Claims. (Cl. 17-11) This is a division of our copending applicationSer. No. 385,339, led July 27, 1964, and entitled Separation of PoultryShanks From Drumsticks, now Patent No. 3,281,890, issued Nov. 1, 1966.

This invention relates to poultry-processing equipment and, moreparticularly, to apparatus for severing fa poultry carcass leg at thehock joint thereof.

Structure has heretofore been provided for automatically removing theleg shanks from the drumsticks of poultry carcasses but such structurehas proven to be unsatisfactory because of the unreliability of severingthe leg Shanks from the drumsticks lat precisely the right location.Unless the hock joint is severed at the right location, portions of theleg shanks may remain on the heads of the drumsticks or, conversely,portions of the heads of the drumsticks are severed. In either of thesecases, the quality of the carcass becomes inferior under conventionalgrading systems land sales of the carcasses are signioantly affected.

The present invention is directed to improvements in the severing of legshanks from the -drumsticks of poultry carcasses so that the legs of acarcass will be severed at precisely the proper position at all times tothereby assure that the quality of the carcass will be maintained. Thepresent invention is spec-ically directed to apparatus for severing legshanks from drumsticks of poultry carcasses at the hock joints of thecarcasses as the latter move in a given direction. As la result, thepresent invention may be effectively utilized Vas a part of a carcassdressing line which includes defeathering apparatus and structure forconveying defeathered poultry carcasses to an evis` cerating station.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention toIprovide improvements in the automatic severing of leg Shanks from thedrumsticks of poultry carcasses wherein the severing action occursprecisely at the center of the hock joints of the -carcasses 'betweenthe heads of the -drumstick-s and the sockets of the leg shanks whichreceive the drumstick heads to thereby Iassure removal of the legs ofthe carcass without affecting the quantity thereof under conventionalgrading systems.

Another object of the instant invention is the provision of apparatusfor severing the leg Shanks from the drumsticks of poultry carcasseswherein the exact center of the hock joints of the carcass `are soughtand found prior to the beginning `of the severing action thereof,whereby the severing of the legs from the carcass occurs at the properposition at all times so long as the hock joint is -disposed with apredetermined range of positions relative to the point at which thesevering action occurs.

Another `object of the present invention is the provision of apparatusfor severing the legs from a poultry carcass which provide for themovement of the hock joints into proper dispositions as the sameprogress toward a severing station, regardless of the size `of thecarcass whereby the operation of the instant invention may continuesubstantially uninterruptedly when the legs of poultry carcasses ofdifferent sizes are to Ibe removed from the drumstcks thereof.

Yet another object of this invention is the provision of apparatus forremoving the legs lfrom poultry carcasses 3,323,164 Patented June 6,1967 as the latter move in a predetermined direction whereby theinvention may be employed with poultry defeathering lines so as torender the steps of preparing poultry carcasses for eviscerationcompletely automatic.

A further object of the present invention is the pro- Vision ofapparatus for .automatically unshackling the leg Shanks `of poultrycarcasses after the leg Shanks have been separated from the drumsticksthereof whereby the shackle from which a poultry carcass was initiallysuspended may be placed in condition for reuse without requiring manualremoval of the feet therefrom.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a top plan view of the apparatus made pursuant to theconcepts of the present invention and employed lfor separating the legShanks from the drumsticks of poultry carcasses at the hock jointsthereof, parts being `broken away to illustrate details of construction;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken Ialong line 2--2 of FIG. 1 andillustrating the normal position of a poultry carcass as the lattermoves toward a cutting station under the influence of an overheadconveyor;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1 andagain illustrating the position of a poultry carcass prior to thesevering of the leg Shanks thereof from the drumsticks, the tendon knifeand conveyor tightner assembly having been omitted for clarity and theconveyor for moving the Shanks after severance from the drumsticksappearing in elevation to show details of c0nstruction; and

FIGS. 4-1l are enlarged, fragmentary, `side elevational views of apoultry leg diagrammatically illustrating the steps `of the method ofthe present invention for severing the leg shank from the drumstickprecisely at the hock joint of the leg, and `for unshackling the legshank from the shackle of an overhead conveyor.

Machine 20 for separating the leg Shanks from the drumsticks of poultrycarcasses includes a frame 22 having a number of spaced, upright legs 24for mounting the upper portion 26 of frame 22 on a supporting surface. Atop wall 28 of polygonal configuration covers the top of lframe 22 andis normally horizontally disposed by means of leveling feet 30 at thebottom of respective legs 24.

Top 28 has a pair of spaced, generally parallel edges 32, shown in FIG.3, and defining a longitudinally extending slot 34 spanning the distancebetween one end 35 of frame 22 and the opposite end 38 thereof. Slot `34is adapted for receiving the legs 40 o-f Ia poultry carcass 42 as thelatter moves longitudinally of slot 34 in. a suspended condition below ashackle 44 forming a part of an overhead conveyor.

A pair of spaced, L-shaped brackets 46 and 48 each have a iiange 50which is secured by bolt means 52 to top wall 28 on opposed sides ofslot 34 as shown in FIG. 3. A section 54 of each of the brackets 46 and48 is spaced above and is substantially parallel with top wall 28 andaligned with section 54 of the adjacent bracket as illustrated in FIGS.1 and 2.

A pair of vertically disposed shafts `56 and 58 are provided forbrackets 46 and 4S respectively. Shafts 56 and 58 are mounted forrotation on sections 54 of brackets 46 and 48 respectively, by means ofbearings 60 secured to the undersides of sections 54 as shown in FIG. 3.Bearings 62, only one of which is shown in FIG. 2, are secured to theunderside of top wall 28 for journaling the lower ends of shafts 56 and58. As shown in FIG. l, brackets 46 and 48 are disposed adjacent to end38 of frame 22 and thus are spaced a considerable distance from end 36thereof.

A pair of wheels y64 and 66 are rigid to shafts 56 and 58 respectively,for rotation therewith. Wheels 64 and 66 are partially overlapped asshown in FIG. 3 and are provided with arcuate recesses 68 in theperipheries thereof so that, upon rotation of the wheels 64 and 66 inopposed directions, the recesses of one of the wheels are successivelyclosed by the other wheel during a portion of the rotation of the wheelsand as the recesses are in substantially overlying relationship to slot34 and top wall 28.

As also shown in FIG. 3, the peripheries of wheels 64 and 66 are beveledwith the upper face of wheel 64 being of a greater diameter than thelower face thereof and with the lower face of wheel 66 being of agreater diameter than the upper face thereof.

Means for rotating shafts 56 and 58 in opposed directions and at thesalme speed, include a prime mover 70 secured to frame 22 on a platform72 below top wall 28 and adjacent to end 36, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.A belt and pulley assembly 74 couples prime mover 70 to a gear reductionmechanism 76 also mounted on platform 72, mechanism 76 being in turncoupled by a chain and sprocket assembly '78 to a shaft 80 disposeduprightly between top wall 28 and a crosspiece 82 extendinglongitudinally of frame 22 in spaced relationship below top wall 28.Shaft 80 is disposed on one side of slot 34 and is journaled forrotation with respect to frame 22. A spur gear 84, rigid to the lowerend of shaft 80', is in mesh with a spur gear 86 rigid to the lower endof a shaft 88 parallel to shaft 80 and journaled for rotation withrespect to frame 22 on the opposite side of slot 34 from shaft 80.

Chain and sprocket assembly 90 couples the upper end of shaft 88 withthe lower end of shaft S6 for rotating the latter -upon rotation ofshaft `88. A chain and sprocket assembly 92 couples the upper end ofshaft 80 with the lower end of shaft 58 for rotating the latter inresponse to the rotation of shaft 80. Shafts `80 and 88 rotate inopposed directions, as do shafts 58 and 56, by virtue of the presence ofspur gears 84 and 86, it being clear that prime mover 70 operates in adirection to cause wheel 64 to rotate in a clockwise sense, and wheel 66to rotate in a counterclockwise sense when viewing FIG. 1. Wheels 64 and66 are .separated by a small distance to define a space 94 for a purposehereinafter described.

Structure 96, movable in unison with the overhead conveyor, is providedon frame 22 above top wall 28 for advancing the legs 40 of a carcass 42between ends 36 and 38 of frame 22. Structure 96 includes apparatushaving an endless, flexible link chain 98 and an endless, flexible belt100, each disposed on a respective side of slot 34 and above the latteras shown in FIG. 3. Chain 98 is coupled with a sprocket 102 rigidto'shaft 56 below wheel 64 and to a sprocket 104 mounted on an uprightshaft 106 carried by a bracket 108, tbe latter being provided withlongitudinally extending slots 110 which receive bolt means 112 foradjustably securing shaft 106 on top wall 28.

Chain 98 has a stretch 114 which normally extends parallel to slot 34between sprockets 102 and 104. Chain 98 is further provided with anumber of spaced, laterally extending projections 116, each pair ofadjacent projections 116 defining a drumstick-receiving fork 118 whichmoves with chain 98 along and above slot 34 from sprocket 104- tosprocket 102 inasmuch as shaft 56 and thereby sprocket 102, rotates in aclockwise direction wlhen viewing FIG. l. A sprocket 120 is carried by ashaft 122 disposed between shafts 56 and 106 and mounted on a bracket124 adjustably secured by means of bolt means 126 to top wall 28.

As shown in FIG. 2, sprocket 120 is disposed at a greater distance awayfrom top wall 28 than is sprocket 104 by virtue of spacer means 128.However, shafts 106 and 122 are substantially parallel with each other.Chain 98 is operably coupled with sprocket 120 as shown in FIG. l sothat one portion 130' of stretch 114 is inclined with respect to theupper surface of top` wall 28 between sprockets 104 and 120. Sprockets102 and 120 i are substantially at the same distance from top wall 28 sothat the portion 132 of stretch 114 between sprockets 102 and 120 isparallel with top wall 28 and if the latter is horizontal, portion 132will also be horizontal.

A pulley 134 is rigidly secured to shaft 58 below wheel 66 and belt 100is trained about pulley 134 and about another pulley 136 rigid to ashaft 138 carried on top wall 28 '-by a bracket 140 and bolt means 142.Shaft 138 is aligned with shaft 58 so that a line interconnecting theshafts would be substantially parallel with slot 34. Pulley 136 is of asmaller diameter than pulley 134. Thus, the stretch 144 of belt 100adjacent slot 34 converges toward stretch 114 of chain 98 as wheels 64and 66 are approached.

A rigid guide 146 having a recess 148 (FIGS. 6 and 7) extendslongitudinally of slot 34 and is adjustably secured by bolt means 150 totop wall 28 by means of transverse, bolt-receiving slots 152 therein.Stretch 144 is normally disposed within recess 148 and movabletherealong at the same speed as stretch 114 inasmuch as pulley 134 is ofsubstantially the same diameter as sprocket 102. As shown in FIG. l,guide 146 is spaced from wheels 64 and 66 and is canted relative tostretch 114 to assure that stretch 144 converges toward stretch 114without any substantial lateral deflection of belt 100 away from stretch114 as wheels 64 and 66 are approached. The extent by which stretch 144converges to stretch 114 can be adjusted by varying the canted positionof guide 146.

As shown in FIG. 3, belt 100 is normally movable in a horizontal planeparallel to the plane of top wall 28 so that belt 100 will engage a leg40 of a carcass 42 at substantially the same location thereon as thecarcass 42 moves toward Wheels 64 and 66. Since portion 130 is inclined,the corresponding fork 118 will progressively move upwardly until thehead of the drumstick of leg 40 is supported on projections 1,16.

A knife blade 154 is secured by means of a clamp 156 within a groove 157of a base 158 rigid to top wall 28 adjacent end 38. Blade 154 extendsacross slot 34 adjacent to wheels 64 and 66 and is substantiallyhorizontally aligned with space 94 between wheels 64 and 66. Blade 1.54is provided to sever the tendons of Ilegs 40 after wheels 64 and 66 haveseparated the heads of the drumsticks of leg 40 from the sockets of theleg Shanks of legs 40.

A pair of extensions 160 and 162 project outwardly from frame 22 at end38 thereof as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Extensions 160 and 162 aredisposed on opposed sides of a line extending longitudinally withrespect to slot -34 and mount, by suitable bearing means, a pair ofupright shafts 164 and 166 respectively at the outer extremitiesthereof. A cutting saw 168 is rigid to the upper end of shaft 164 forrotation therewith. A belt and pulley assembly 170 couples the lower endof shaft 164 with a prime mover 172 adjustably secured by bolt means 174to a side plate 176 forming a part of frame 22 below top .wall 28 andadjacent to end 38. A guard 178 extends partially about saw 168 forsafety purposes. A sproc-ket 180 is rigid to the upper end of shaft 166and is coupled with an endless, flexible mechanism or chain 182 havingprojections 1184 similar in all respects to projections 116 to define,between adjacent pairs of projections 184, leg shank-receiving forks186.

Chain 182 is coupled with a sprocket 188 rigid to shaft 58 for rotationtherewith. Since shaft 58 rotates Vin a counterclockwise sense whenviewing FIG. 1, stretch 190 of chain 182 moves from sprocket 188 towardsprocket along a path extending below, but in close proximity, to saw168. Sprocket 188, however, is disposed at a higher elevation withrespect to frame 22 than is sprocket 180 so that the major portion ofchain v182 Y lies in a plane inclined outwardly and downwardly withrespect to top wall 28 as shown in FIG. 2. Since shaft 166 is inclinedwith respect to shaft 58, sprocket `180 will be substantially in theplane of the major portion of chain 182, whereas sprocket 188 will beslightly inclined relative to this plane.

A sprocket 192 is 4carried by a bracket 194 adjustably secured by boltmeans 196 to top wall 28 adjacent end 38 of frame 22. Sprocket 192 iscoupled ywith chain 18.2 to tighten the latter.

A guide bar 198 spans the distance between bracket 46 and the outerextremity of extension 160 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Bar 198 is securedat one end thereof by a rigid projection 200 (FIG. 3) to bracket 46 andat the other end thereof to a plate 202 rigid to extension 160 as shownin FIG. l. Bar 198 extends substantially parallel to, but slightly abovestretch 190 of chain 1,82, and passes beneath saw 168.

Operation To place machine `20 in operation, prime movers 70 and 172 areactuated. Actuation of prime mover 70 causes wheels 64 and 66 to rotatein opposed directions and causes stretches 114 and 144 of chain 98 andbelt 100 respectively, to move from end 36 of frame 22 toward wheels 64and 66 at the same speed above slot 34. Actuation of prime mover 70 alsoeffects the movement of stretch 190 of chain 182 in a direction awayfrom wheels 64 and 66 and toward the outer extremity of extension 162.Actuation of prime mover 172 causes saw 168 to be rotated at arelatively high speed for severing the leg Shanks carried toward thesame by forks 186 of chain 182 as the leg Shanks are suspensed fromshackle 44 thereabove.

A poultry carcass 42 suspended by the feet 204 thereof in the notches206 of shackle 44, is moved by means of the overhead conveyor coupledwith shackle 44 toward machine 20 in alignment with slot 34. The heightof shackle 44 is set so that carcass 42 will be normally disposed belowtop wall 28, and the hock joints 208 of legs 40 wil lbe above sprocket.104 about which chain 98 is trained. Portion 130 of stretch 114 isinclined so that poultry carcasses of substantially all sizes -will havetheir hock joints 208 above sprocket 104 for a given setting of theheight of shackle 44 above top wall 28.

As the carcass 42 approaches chain 98, one of the legs 40 leads theother leg 40 and both legs will suci cessively move into forks 118inasmuch as chain 98 is moving at the same speed as the overheadconveyor to which shackle 44 is attached. Y

For the most part, the hock joints 208 will normally be spaced abovechain 98 as the drumsticks of legs 40 are initially received withinforks 18. Thus, as portion 130 moves toward sprocket 120, projections116 will move t upwardly with respect to hock joints 208 until thelatter substantially rest on projections 116. For large carcasses 42,this will occur before sprocket 120 is approached. For smaller carcasses42, this will occur at a later time than for large carcasses.

stretches 114 and 144.

By the time the drumstick reaches sprocket 120, the corresponding hockjoint 208 will be resting on projections 116 with the feet 204 liftedslightly out of notches 206 of shackle 44 and the carcass 42 will beconveyed in this disposition toward wheels 64 and 66 inasmuch as stretch144 tightly grips the drumstick at a location slightly below portion 132of stretch 114. FIG. 4 shows the drumstick 210 gripped on opposed sidesby portion 130 and stretch 144 as portion 130 moves along an inclinedpath with respect to top wall 28; FIG. S shows the position of the head212 of drumstick 210 as the head is resting on projections 116 and asdrumstick 210 approaches sprocket 1-20; FIG. 6 illustrates the positionof drumstick 210 as shown in FIG. 5, but looking in the direction oftravel thereof. Thus, with the feet 204 of leg 40 being shackled innotches 206 of shackle 44, carcass 42 is advanced while being suspendedby its feet and drumsticks V210 thereof are grasped below heads 212 ofdrumsticks 210, chain 918 and belt limiting the extent of downwardmovement of legs 40 as carcass 42 is moved toward wheels 64 and 66. Theconverging of stretch 144 toward stretch 114 progressively increases thegrasp or the impalement of the drumsticks 210 during advancement of thecarcass so that, in effect, the carcass 42 becomes suspended from heads212.

Wheels 64 and 66 are timed with respect to the movement of chain 98 sothat the hock joints 208 will move into a pair of cooperating recesses68 on wheels 64 and 66. The wheels apply a combination cutting andWedging action to hock joints 208 laterally of the direction ofadvancement of carcass 42 at substantially the centers of hock joints208 while the suspended carcass 42 is advanced. Such cutting and wedgingaction severs the skin covering the hock joints therearound and forcesheads 212 of drumsticks 210 out of `the sockets 214 of leg Shanks 216`at the outer extremities of legs 40, thereby leaving carcass 42suspended by the tendons 218 of legs 40. If a hock joint 208 is notprecisely aligned with the beveled edges of wheels 64 and 66, suchbeveling of the edges causes wheels 64 and 66 to seek out the center ofthe hock joint 208 inasmuch as the blade edges will move over theconvex, rigid portions 220 and 222 on the head 212 and socket 214respectively, until the exact center is found.

Since wheels 64 and 66 are immovable vertically, and since portion 132and stretch 144 can be fixed slightly, this causes the drumstick 210 tomove upwardly or downwardly, depending upon the way in which the hockjoint 208 must move in order for wheels 64 and 66 to seek out the centerof the joint. As shown in FIG. 7,

' the hock joint 208 is initially slightly higher than it should be inorder for wheels 64 and 66 to be aligned with the center of the joint.As shown in FIG. 8, the hock joint 208 has moved downwardly inasmuch aswheels 64 and 66 have moved over the convex, rigid portions 220 and 222respectively, until the wheel edges have reached lthe center of thejoint. This causes chain 98 and belt 100 to iiex downwardly slightly topermit downward movement of the leg 40. Head 212 is thus separated fromsocket 214, leaving leg shank 216 connected to drumstick 210 by tendons218 which pass through space 94 between wheels 64 and 66.

Chain 98 and belt 100 move out of engagement with drumstick 210, andcarcass 42 is suspended by feet 204 through tendons 218. The tendons 218are severed by blade 154 and carcass 42 gravitates to a conveyor orother collection device disposed below top wall 28 and adjacent end 38.

As hock joints 208 move between wheels 64 and 66 such joints, in eEect,are impaled by wheels 64 and 66, such impalement progressivelyincreasing to shift heads 212 away from sockets 214 and place the jointsinto impalement at substantially the centers. thereof.

Forks 186 dened by projections 184 receive leg shanks 216 and move atthe same speed as shackle 44 to convey the leg Shanks 216 `toward saw168. By virtue of bar 198, leg shanks 216 are effectively grasped atpoints between feet 204 and sockets 214 thereof, while leg Shanks 216are conveyed toward saw 168. Leg shanks 216 are severed between feet 204and the point of grasping thereon by chain 182 and bar 198. By cuttingleg Shanks 216 at this location, the same become unbalanced by virtue ofthe greater weight of the feet 204 thereof so that the feet and theportion of the leg shanks 216 attached thereto, gravitate from notches206 of shackle 44. The lower portions of shanks 216 severed by saw 168,gravitate from the latter.

As shown in FIG. 10, tendons 218 are about to be severed by blade 154during continued advancement of shackle 44 thereabove. As shown in FIG.l1, a leg shank is shown approaching saw 168 for severing by the latterl as the leg shank is grasped on opposed sides thereof by chain 182 andbar 198.

Machine is suitable for use in poultry dressing lines for severing theleg Shanks 216 of the legs 40 of carcasses 42 after the latter have beendefeathered by automatic defeathering equipment. Carcasses 42 thus aremade ready for evisceration substantially immediately after thedefeathering operation inasmuch as the time required for a carcass 42 topass through machine 20 is negligible in comparison with the over-alldressing time of .the carcass.

Machine 20 provides means for cleanly severing leg Shanks 216 fromcarcasses 42 without leaving any portion of the leg Shanks on thedrumsticks or without severing any part of the drumsticks so as to4cause down-grading of the quality of the carcasses themselves.

Machine 20 provides means for severing the leg Shanks from the legs ofcarcasses of different sizes inasmuch as wheels 64 and 66 seek thecenter of the hoek joints before the separation of heads 212 fromsockets 214 occurs. As shown in FIGS. 7-9, if a hock joint is too high,wheels 64 and 66 will seek the center of the joint by lowering theentire carcass when wheel 64 passes over portions 220 on the head 212.This causes chain 98 and belt 100 to ex downwardly. Conversely, if thehock joint is too low, wheels 64 and 66 will seek the center of thejoint by raising the entire carcass when wheel 66 passes beneath portion222 on socket 214. This causes chain 98 and belt 100 to flex upwardly.

`Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. For use with an overhead conveyor-type dressing line from whichpoultry carcasses are suspended from shackles by their feet, a machinefor separating the Shanks from the drumsticks of the legs at the hoekjoints by forcing the heads of the drumsticks out of the sockets of theShanks, the combinati-on including:

structure movable in unison with said line therebeneath for advancingthe drumsticks with the Shanks,

said structure having `apparatus for grasping the legs ybelow thejoints;

a pair of horizontal wheels between said line and said structure withinthe path of travel of the joints; means mounting the wheels for rotationabout spaced,

upright axes, and

means coupled with the wheels for rotating the Same in oppositedirections,

said wheels having recesses spaced around their peripheries forreceiving the joints `at substantially the centers thereof,

the wheels being partially overlapped whereby the recesses of each wheelare successively closed by the other wheel during a portion of therotation while the joints are in the recesses,

said peripheries being beveled for iirst severing the skin covering ofthe joints therearound and then wedging the heads out of the sockets,the bevel of said uppermost wheel being incl-ined upwardly and the bevelof the lowermost wheel being inclined downwardly to force the Shanks andthe drumsticks in opposite direactions, said wheels being verticallyspaced for clearing the tendons of the legs without shearing the tendonswhereby the carcasses remain suspended from said line by the tendonsafter separation of the Shanks from the drumsticks.

2. The invention of claim 1, and means disposed to -sever the tendons asthe poultry is advanced by said line ybeyond said structure.

3. The invention of claim 2, mechanism movable in unison with said linetherebeneath for advancing the Shanks with the feet, said mechanismhaving parts for grasping the Shanks below said feet; and means disposedto severe the Shanks between the feet and said mechanism as the Shanksare advanced by said mechanism,

4. The invention of claim 1, said structure and said line converging asthe wheels are approached whereby to place said apparatus in supportingrelationship to the joints during separation of the heads from thesockets.

5. The invention `of claim 4, said apparatus being yieldable downwardlyin response to downward movement of the heads during separation thereoffrom the sockets.

6'. The invention of claim 1, said structure including a pair of endlessconveyors disposed to engage the drumsticks therebetween.

7. The invention of claim 6, one of the endless conveyors of saidstructures having a series of drumstickreceiving forks.

8. In a hock cutter for use with means for advancing suspended poultryalong a predetermined path of travel, cutter means for Iseparating theShanks from the drumsticks of the poultry legs at the hock joints; andstructure for positioning the joints with respect to the cutter meanscomprising:

a pair of side-by-side endless conveyors having inner stretches movablecontinuously in the direction of advancement of the drumsticks towardthe cutter means and adapted to receive the drumsticks therebetween,

one of the conveyors being provided with a Series of drumstick-receivingpockets,

said stretches being disposed relatively at one end thereof remote fromthe cutter means for freedom of up and down movement of the drumsticksin the pockets, and converging as the cutter means is approached wherebyto clamp the drumsticks therebetween as they approach the cutter means,and

means guiding the stretch of said one conveyor for movement along aplane inclined toward said hock joints whereby to position thedrumsticks in said pockets with the enlargement of the drumsticks at thejoints bearing against said one conveyor,

said cutter means being Iin the path of travel of the joints when saidenlargements bear against the one conveyor.

9. The invention of claim 8, said cutter means comprising:

a pair of members disposed to receive the hock joints therebetweenduring advancement of the drumsticks,

each member having an edge and a margin beveled toward said edge, thebeveled margins facing oppositely whereby, when the joints are movingbetween the members generally opposed wedging forces are applied to saidlegs laterally thereof at said joints with one of the forces applied atsaid joints to the convex rigid portions of the heads of saiddrumsticks, shifting the same inwardly and longitudinally of the legs inone direction, and the opposite of said forces is applied to the convexrigid portions of the sockets of said Shanks, shifting the same inwardlyand longitudinally of the legs in the opposite direction to force theheads of said drumsticks out of the sockets of said Shanks,

said edges being sharpened whereby to sever the skin coverings of thejoints therearound during said movement of the joints between themembers.

10. The invention of claim 9, the other of said conveyors beingflexible, permitting said movement of the drumsticks in said onedirection during separation of the Shanks from the drumsticks.

11. Apparatus for separating the shank and the drumstick of a poultrycarcass leg at the hoek joint thereof comprising:

means for advancing Said leg; and

a pair of inernbers disposed to receive the hock joint there'betweenduring advancement of the leg,

each member having an edge and a margin beveled in a single directiontoward said edge, the beveled margins of the respective members facingoppositely whereby, when the joint is moving between the membersgenerally opposed wedging forces are applied to said leg laterallythereof at said joint with one of the forces applied at said joint tothe convex rigid portion of the head of said drumstick, shifting thesame inwardly and longitudinally of the leg in one direction, and theopposite of said forces is applied to the convex rigid portion of thesocket of said shank, shifting the same inwardly and longitudinally ofthe leg in the opposite direction to force the head of said `drumstickout of the socket of said shank,

said edges being sharpened whereby to sever the skin covering of thejoint thenearound during said movement of the joint between the members.

12. The invention of claim 11, said margins being spaced apartlongitudinally of the leg whereby to enhance the forcing of said headout of said socket.

13. The invention of claim 12, said edges being in separate planesspaced longitudinally of the leg whereby to protect the tendons of saidleg against severance by said edges while the joint passes between themembers.

14. The invention of claim 13, and means disposed in the path ofadvancement of the tendons beyond said members for cutting the tendonsbetween said head and said socket.

15. Apparatus for separating the `Shanks from the drumsticks of the legsof a poultry carcass at the hock joints thereof comprising:

structure for suspending said carcass by its feet and advancing thesuspended carcass toward a separation station;

mechanism for grasping said drumsticks adjacent said joints to limit theextent of downward movement of said drumsticks as the carcass issuspended and advanced,

said mechanism having means for raising said carcass by the drumsticksduring advancement to align the hoek joint into a predetermined heightas it is advanced into said station; and

a pair of discs in said station provided with peripheral cutting edges,

each disc having a margin beveled toward its said edge,

one of the margins facing upwardly and the other margin facingdownwardly,

whereby when the joints `advance between the discs generally opposedcombination cutting and wedging forces are applied in a directionlongitudinally of the leg with one of the forces applied at said jointto the convex rigid portion of the drumstick, shifting the samedownwardly, and with the opposite of said forces applied to the convexrigid portion of the socket of said shank, shifting the same upwardly tosever the skin covering of the joint therearound and to force the headof said drumstick out of the socket of said shank.

16. A hock cutter comprising:

means for advancing poultry suspended by the feet thereof along apredetermined path of travel;

cutter means within the path of travel of the hoek joints of the legs ofsaid poultry for severing the skin coverings of the joints andseparating the Shanks `from the drumsticks of said legs at said joint,leaving the poultry suspended -by the tendon of said legs whichinterconnect the Shanks and drumsticks;

means within the path of travel of said tendons for cutting the latterafter said skin covering severance and said shank and drumstickseparation, whereby the poultry is removed from said advancing means,except for the Shanks which remain suspended by said feet; and

means within the path of travel of said Shanks for separating the latterfrom the feet,

said advancing means including shackles for suspending the poultry andhaving feet `receiving means dispos-ed for gravitation of the feettherefrom after separation of the shanks from the feet.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,846,718 8/1958 Sengelaubl et al17--11 2,854,690 10/1958 ODonnell 17-45 2,855,624 10/1958 Jerome et al.17-11 3,038,197 6/1962 Turner 17--11 3,056,161 10/1962 Zebarth 17-113,099,858 8/1963` Segur 17-45 3,137,892 6/1964 Best et al. 17--113,199,143 8/1965 Ousley et al. 17-11 LUCIE H. LAUDENSLAGER, PrimaryExaminer.

SAMUEL KOREN, Examiner.

8. IN A HOCK CUTTER FOR USE WITH MEANS FOR ADVANCING SUSPENDED POULTRYALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH OF TRAVEL, CUTTER MEANS FOR SEPARATING THESHANKS FROM THE DRUMSTICKS OF THE POULTRY LEGS AT THE HOCK JOINTS; ANDSTRUCTURE FOR POSITIONING THE JOINTS WITH RESPECT TO THE CUTTER MEANSCOMPRISING: A PAIR OF SIDE-BY-SIDE ENDLESS CONVEYORS HAVING INNERSTRETCHES MOVABLE CONTINUOUSLY IN THE DIRECTION OF ADVANCEMENT OF THEDRUMSTICKS TOWARD THE CUTTER MEANS AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE DRUMSTICKSTHEREBETWEEN, ONE OF THE CONVEYORS BEING PROVIDED WITH A SERIES OFDRUMSTICK-RECEIVING POCKETS, SAID STRETCHES BEING DISPOSED RELATIVELY ATONE END THEREOF REMOTE FROM THE CUTTER MEANS FOR FREEDOM OF UP AND DOWNMOVEMENT OF THE DRUMSTICKS IN THE POCKETS, AND CONVERGING AS THE CUTTERMEANS IS APPROACHED WHEREBY TO CLAMP THE DRUMSTICKS THEREBETWEEN AS THEYAPPROACH THE CUTTER MEANS, AND MEANS GUIDING THE STRETCH OF SAID ONECONVEYOR FOR MOVEMENT ALONG A PLANE INCLINED TOWARD SAID HOCK JOINTSWHEREBY TO POSITION THE DRUMSTICKS IN SAID POCKETS WITH THE ENLARGEMENTOF THE DRUMSTICKS AT THE JOINTS BEARING AGAINST SAID ONE CONVEYOR, SAIDCUTTER MEANS BEING IN THE PATH OF TRAVEL OF THE JOINTS WHEN SAIDENLARGEMENTS BEAR AGAINST THE ONE CONVEYOR.